State of the Water September 14, 2015 Towns County Recreation & - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

State of the Water

September 14, 2015 Towns County Recreation & Conference Center

Freshwater Resources (3%)

Ice-locked 68.9% Underground 30.8% Rivers/Lakes/ Streams 0.3%

Water for Life

• Only 3% of the Earth’s water is freshwater
• Water is not evenly distributed on Earth.
• Our bodies contain ~10 gallons of water;

we need to replace ~2 quarts per day

• An average European uses ~53 gallons/day;

an average American uses ~152 gal/day

• Around 70% of all crops grown depend

entirely on irrigation water

What is a Watershed?

Atlanta Nashville Birmingham

Map of the Upper Hiwassee River Basin

Physical Chemical Biological Habitat

What is Water Quality?

Major Water Quality Concerns in the Hiwassee River Basin

• 1. Excess Sediment
• 2. Excess Nutrients
• 3. Pathogens (e.g. E. coli)
• 4. Too much runoff!

We want to prevent this!

WQ Concerns – Bank Erosion

WQ Concerns – Construction

WQ Concerns – Development of Steep Slopes

WQ Concerns – Loss of Riparian Buffers & Channelization

Major Water Quality Concerns in the Hiwassee River Basin

1.

Excess Sediment

2.

Excess Nutrients

3.

Pathogens (e.g. E.coli)

4.

Too much runoff!

We want to prevent this!

And this!

WQ Concerns – Agriculture

Leaking & Failing Septic Systems

Water Quality Concerns

WQ Concerns – Geese

WQ Concerns – Managed Turf

WQ Concerns – Lack of Buffers

Major Water Quality Concerns in the Hiwassee River Basin

1.

Excess Sediment

2.

Excess Nutrients

3.

Pathogens (e.g. E.coli)

4.

Too much runoff!

Roads and Parking Lots Driveways and Rooftops

WQ Concerns – Impervious Surfaces

• I ncreased

Runoff

• I ncreased

Pollutants

• I mpacts to

Stream Banks

• Habitat

Degradation

WQ Concerns - Changing Hydrology

Use Impairment Data (every 2 years)

State Biological Data (5-year cycle)

Volunteer Monitoring (monthly!)

10+ years data from 21 sites; currently 31 active sites! www.georgiaadoptastream.com

TVA Ecological Health Ratings (? Interval)

Chatuge: Poor in 2012 Nottely: Poor in 2011 Hiwassee: Fair in 2012 Apalachia: Good in 2012

Water Quality Overview

• E. Coli - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

 Hiwassee River in Clay County appears to be meeting water quality standards for recreation!  Lake Chatuge is still safe for swimming!

• Valley River bacterial contamination is more limited in

scope than it originally appeared; however, there is much work to be done in order for it to be recreationally safe for kids in Andrews or Murphy.

× Nottely River does have a significant bacterial

contamination issue upstream of the lake.

× It appears that Butternut Creek at the Union Co.

Farmers Market is also significantly contaminated.

NCDENR Fish Sampling Highlights

Brasstown still rated Good! Martins Creek Good for the 1st

time since 2004!!

• New site, Rapier Mill Creek rated

Poor

• Persimmon Cr still rated Poor
• No change at other sites in the

Good to Good/Fair range

• Valley River needs more

biological data!

New Bridge in Young Harris!

Contact Information

90 T ennessee Street, Ste. D (Lewis Jones Nationwide Insurance Bldg.) 828-837-5414 – Phone & Fax cmoore@hrwc.net

www.hrwc.net

Major HRWC Program Areas

Education – Past Year

• Working with Schools

– Murphy H.S. AP Environmental Science – Kids in the Creek for Hayesville 8th grade – River Walk Earth Week events – TLC Service Learning

• GA Mtn Research & Education Center Field Days

(3 days in May; 1 in Sept)

• C.R.E.E.K. Summer Youth Education
• Regional Sediment & Erosion Control Initiative

(NC grading contractors)

• Shade Your Stream – Funding from Duke Energy

Citizen Involvement – Past Year

• Adopt-A-Stream Program

– 3 recertification events (2 in Nottely watershed) – Training workshops in June & coming up in October – Added six new sites to the system!

• Alternative Spring Break Program

– Saginaw Valley State University (MI) – Grand Valley State University (MI) – Bowling Green State University (OH) – University of North Florida (FL)

• Volunteer workdays, festival booths
• 20th Anniversary Celebration planning

Restoration – Past Year

• Brasstown Creek riparian enhancement with

Alternative Spring Break students

• Butternut Creek riparian enhancement with ASB;

also Ramp Day education event

• Town Creek (Hayesville)

– Completed design for stormwater BMP – Planned bank stabilization that will happen this fall – Helped CCCRA with native plant signage

• Technical Assistance

– Six calls this year; two projects as a result

Restoration (cont’d) – Past Year

• Valley River

– ASB students worked in Andrews at Cherokee County Heritage Park – Kudzu outbreak along Valley River in Andrews at Heritage Park treated – Projects planned at Valley River Park in Andrews & at the mouth of Taylor Creek on Valley River – Morgan Creek Stream Restoration Project completed!!

Lakes Program – Past Year

• Lake Chatuge

– Hosted educational forum about aquatic weeds – Secured funding from Rotary Club for shoreline stabilization & educational kiosk – Held 4th Annual Rivers Alive clean-up – Designed a goose hunting workshop (Nov 10)

• Helped publicize other clean-ups & other events

sponsored by LNIA

• Continued to support water quality monitoring

program

Big Picture – Past Year

• Public Access Improvements

– New canoe/kayak put-in in Hayesville completed – Land donation for new access on Valley River – Union Co. installed new put-in at Meeks Park – Outings program

• Bacterial Monitoring Program
• National Forest Work

– Nantahala Forest Plan revision – Fires Creek inholding comments/objection

• Organizational Sustainability

– Possible new permanent office in our future?

Your Input! Pink = highest priority Orange = 2nd highest priority Yellow = 3rd highest priority Green = 4th highest priority

Thank you for your attendance, participation & support!!